TECHNOLOGY: Questions about hardware / software engineering

Thursday, December 23, 2010

http://www.itnews.com.au/News/241265,techies-revenge-lands-her-in-jail.aspx

Techie’s revenge lands her in jail
By Liam Tung on Dec 10, 2010 9:25 AM

*** begin quote ***

Four days after being fired from the Suncoast Community Health Centers’ for insubordination, Patricia Marie Fowler exacter her revenge by hacking the centre’s systems, deleting files, changing passwords, removing access to infrastructure systems, and tampering with pay and accrued leave rates of staff.

*** end quote ***

This story begs a number of questions about hardware / software engineering.

(1) Firewalls, hardware, and software are NOT designed to avoid the “King” effect. One example. The SWIFT funds transfer network in the 80’s had the concept of split authentication. The contract with SWIFT and the institution REQUIRED two separate “supervisors of an administrator” and “technology administrators”. There had to be collusion between FOUR people to subvert the security system. Bosses were NOT permitted to access the system but did receive the couriered envelop with their half of the institution’s code. They gave it to their administrator. Once the two haves were used, a new pair was generated and sent to the bosses. Either “administrator” could lock the “kingdom”. (I forget how long the “keys” were, but I remember typing it in was a giant pain.) Surprisingly, even honchos, who were openly hostile to “security”, meekly went along with this kabuki.

(2) It seems like there was very little separation of duties. The IT administrator apparently has access to the firewalls, other platforms, and data tables in applications. Seems like the place was an accident set up to happen. Where were the internal and external auditors? At the very least, with suitable automation, rebuilding components of the infrastructure should be near trivial. You wonder where was their disaster recovery plan; probably locked up in the head of the rogue administrator.

(3) “Passwords” in and around a serious “security” situation. Guess they never heard of two factor authentication?

Nice to know we don’t need no stinkin’ security!

Seasonal Greetings,
fjohn

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Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: The President missed an opportunity

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2010/12/obama-reads-to-kids-including-his-own-book/1

Dec 17, 2010
Obama reads to kids, including his own book

*** begin quote ***

Another asked for an autograph.

POTUS: “If I sign autographs, then I’d have to sign for everybody.”

“Yay,” the students responded.

POTUS said he signed his book for the whole school and it’s in the library.

Another student asked how he wrote the book, since he’s so busy.

*** end quote ***

Ahh, using children as props!

I think I’d have “found” time to sign an autograph personally for every child in that room. It’d have made them feel “special”. Who knows maybe saved a suicide, prevented an alcoholic, or even just inspired that one kid!

A missed opportunity.

And, you have to love how the kid went for the jugular. Writing is hard time-consuming work. Think maybe it was ghost written? Like all the “Presidential” books?

Argh!

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Posted by reinkefj

IPAD: LASTPASS works differently on IPAD

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Unfortunately, LASTPASS is installed that appears to be a front end to SAFARI. On the NETBOOK and MACBOOKAIR1, it integrates with all browsers. Not sure I like the result.

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Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: Forecasting intelligent cars and roads in the future

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

http://www.techmynd.com/the-future-cars-and-roads/#ixzz18TcSTw1G

The Future Cars and Roads
by Hiroshi on 18-12-2010

*** begin quote ***

According to Dr. Michio Kaku, next 10 years will bring us intelligent cars and roads. Future car fuels will be hydrogen, electricity, rechargeable batteries or solar energy. The future cars will help stop accidents and suggest alternative routs if road is blocked ahead. There will be almost no traffic jams, no road accidents. Scientists will install chips in the roads which will communicate with your car to tell if there is any problem ahead. Road will sense your car speed as well.

This predicts that instead of police officers, roads would be able to calculate your car speed and issue you a speeding ticket through your car’s computer. Cars will consume less fuel and will be light in weight. GPS systems would guide your car computer in the direction you would like to go. Even these cars can drive you automatically to point a to b without any driver.

*** end quote ***

Interesting, but not the way things are organized now.

The Gooferment controls the roads; that’s why they are a disaster. Look at Disney World for how private roads are and could be.

And, notice that the predictor falls into the current meme of “Gooferment roads”? The “road” gives out traffic tickets. ROFL! Like the “road” can go into a court and testify. And, we all KNOW machines never make a mistake. Like that Brit speed camera that would randomly report motorists breaking the speed of sound on a back road quarter mile stretch that was in bad shape. Never make mistakes.

And, we’d miss the pleasure of sitting at a long red light late at night with no traffic anywhere in sight (even in the most densely populated state)! You think the Gooferment, politicians, and bureaucrats will make this better?

And, of course, we all want cars that “automatically” drive us. Argh!

Sorry, I think the technology could do it, but not the people.

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Posted by reinkefj

LUGGABLE: Ready to put Linux on LUGGABLE

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Backed up and away we go.

UBUNTU10

# # # # # posted 2010-12-21 20:13

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Posted by reinkefj

POLITICAL: Affords passengers the right to request a pat-down search (from Tweedle dee Lautenberg)

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

FROM A BLISTERING EMAIL ABOUT THE TSA AND THE FOURTH

*** begin quote ***

Dear Mr. Reinke:    Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about Transportation Security Administration (TSA) aircraft passenger screening procedure. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has begun using advanced imaging technology (AIT) at 70 airports across the country. This technology allows screeners to take a snapshot of passengers without any physical contact to determine if there are dangerous weapons or other contraband hidden under a passenger’s clothes. TSA maintains that passenger privacy is protected by separating the officer attending the passenger from the officer viewing the image and blurring the face of the passenger. The viewing officer is remotely located and images cannot be stored, transmitted, or printed, and they are deleted immediately after viewing. In addition, passengers who do not wish to receive AIT screening can opt out for a physical pat-down.      During consideration of the “Transportation Security Administration Authorization Act” (H.R. 2200) in the House of Representatives, an amendment was considered that would prohibit TSA from using AIT machines for primary screening, require TSA to give passengers a choice of a pat-down search instead of a body scan, and prohibit TSA from storing, transferring, or copying any images. This amendment was included in the final version of the bill passed by the House of Representatives. The “Transportation Security Administration Authorization Act” has been referred to the Senate and is currently pending before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, on which I serve.    In addition, the “American Traveler Dignity Act of 2010” (H.R. 6416) has been introduced in the House of Representatives. This legislation would clarify that TSA and its employees can be sued for subjecting airline passengers to advanced imaging technology or physical contact. This bill is currently pending before the House Judiciary Committee, and similar legislation has not been introduced in the Senate. Please be assured that I will continue to monitor the progress of this legislation and will keep your views in mind should it come for a vote before a Committee on which I serve or the full Senate. Thank you again for contacting me. FRL: mts
Sincerely, Senator Lautenberg
*** end quote ***

SO why do I need TWO US Senators? I get the same response from both of them. So let’s just cut staff and save a lot of money. Argh!

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Posted by reinkefj

ISP: Verizon / Yahoo email is insecure

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

verizon.net
incoming.yahoo.verizon.net (No SSL, port: 110)
outgoing.yahoo.verizon.net (No SSL, port: 25 or 587, use authentication)
Your Verizon Yahoo! Mail ID (your email address without the “@verizon.net”)
Email Address: Your Verizon Yahoo! Mail address (e.g., user@verizon.net)
Your Verizon Yahoo! Mail password

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Posted by reinkefj

CORRUPTION: BoA and USA with US Treasury incest

Monday, December 20, 2010

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/lewrw/archives/73468.html

December 18, 2010
RE: Bank of America Cuts Off WikiLeaks

*** begin quote ***

“How many times and for how long can an ostensibly private organization behave like an adjunct of the state before it ceases to be private?” Bank of America is a corrupt, bloated, and poorly run organization. They’d be out of business now if not for their easy access to the US Treasury and for their untrammeled access to favors from the Fed and from people like Geithner.

*** end quote ***

Corporations are a creation of the Gooferment.

Politicians and bureaucrats use their “creation” (i.e., corporations) to bribe themselves in exchange for favorable tax, regulatory, or franchise benefits.

Politicians and bureaucrats also use “corporations” as tax collectors. Only real people pay taxes. Corporate taxes are really just pass throughs to real people. Makes the calculation of how much you are really paying in “taxes” incalculable.

For example, on that can of beans you have in your hand, (pretend you can actually afford beans), how much of the purchase price is taxes? How much did Campbells or BushBeans pay in taxes? And, how much tax is in every component of that can and contents? And don’t forget the gas tax to deliver the components and the can of beans itself to where ever! It’s incalculable!!!

Finally, don’t forget what passes for “money” in this country. There’s a hidden tax in that as well. Every paper dollar is backed by the “full faith and credit of the United States”. We know what that is worth. There’s no limit on the number of dollars that the Gooferment via its enabler the Federal Reserve Bank, which itself is a corrupt banking cartel for the benefit of the elite bankers, can print.

So, “We, The Sheeple” are fooled by the meme of “government” and “corporations”. These are just “costumes” worn by men to oppress other men. The “Gooferment” is like your thumb and “corporations” are the fingers. How can you say they are not workign together.

To all our detriment!

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Posted by reinkefj

RANT: How can you exclude energy and food?

Monday, December 20, 2010

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704828104576021262542609064.html?mod=djemalertNEWS

*** begin quote ***

News Alert from The Wall Street Journal

U.S. consumer prices barely gained in November, rising just 0.1% from the prior month, as energy prices saw their smallest increase in five months. So-called core inflation, which excludes energy and food prices and is closely watched by the Fed, inched ahead by 0.1%, the first move after three flat months.

The annual underlying inflation rate was 0.8%, well below the Fed’s informal target of between 1.7% and 2%. The central bank’s policy-making committee Tuesday signaled that it thinks core inflation remains too low–a key factor in last month’s decision to start buying $600 billion in Treasury bonds.

*** end quote ***

How can you exclude energy and food? Planing to stop eating any time soon? And, “energy” is in EVERYTHING that moves. Just between you and me, and the Western World, my gasoline price has gone up a dime in the last few weeks!

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Posted by reinkefj

POLITICAL: Affords passengers the right to request a pat-down search

Sunday, December 19, 2010

FROM A BLISTERING EMAIL ABOUT THE TSA AND THE FOURTH

*** begin quote ***

Dear Mr. Reinke:

Thank you for contacting me to express your concern regarding the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) use of whole-body imaging. Your opinion is very important to me, and I appreciate the opportunity to respond to you on this vital issue.

The failed Christmas Day 2009 bombing on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 brought renewed attention to airport security. One specific concern has been the possible increased implementation of whole-body imaging (WBI) technology to screen airline passengers. As you know, WBI is currently being used in major airports across the country to screen passengers, and in some cases it is being used in place of metal detectors. TSA is using this new technology to conduct full-body searches without physical contact between a TSA representative and a passenger, allowing screeners to detect prohibited items, such as weapons, explosives and other metallic and non-metallic threat items concealed under layers of clothing. However, there have been a number of legitimate concerns regarding health implications of WBI technology, as well as privacy concerns due to the details of the images.

You may be happy to know that the U.S. House of Representatives recently passed H.R. 2200, the TSA Authorization Act, which included an amendment prohibiting TSA from utilizing whole-body imaging as the first-screening device at airports. Accordingly, TSA would only be allowed to use this technology for secondary searches of individuals who have already triggered primary metal detector alarms. Further, the amendment requires that screeners disclose that millimeter wave imaging could allow a TSA worker in a remote room to see through their clothes, and affords passengers the right to request a pat-down search in lieu of full-body imaging.

As your United States Senator, my top priority is protecting the safety of the American people. While it is essential that security officials have the necessary tools to screen and identify terrorists attempting to commandeer aircraft, it is also important to uphold the civil liberties of law-abiding citizens traveling through our skies. While the TSA Authorization Act has not yet been considered in the Senate, I will certainly keep your views in mind when considering this issue. Please rest assured that I will work hard to keep our nation safe and our individual freedoms intact when considering any legislation.

Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future about this or any other matter of concern. I invite you to visit my website (http://menendez.senate.gov) to learn of other important issues to New Jersey.

Senator Menendez

*** end quote ***

Obviously, my email wasn’t read. THis is a canned response. You can hear them saying: “TSA crank; send him the T letter”! Argh!!!

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POLITICAL: Not “birther”; “proof-er”

Sunday, December 19, 2010

http://www.keywestlou.com/2010/12/i-lay-by-pool-yesterday-working-on-my.html

My Life in Key West
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2010

*** begin quote ***

Other topics include the military officer who refuses another deployment to Afghanistan because he is a birther

*** end quote ***

May I suggest that you update your ‘lingo’ about the Army Officer, who’s refusing deployment?

You called him a “birther”. Which means that he disputes that Obama was born in the USA.

Now, while that is a perfectly good concern, (as a lawyer, you must know about “evidence”), it doesn’t accurately describe the fellow’s position.

He’s a “proof-er”.

He, like I, have not seen “evidence” that Obama satisfies the Constitutional criteria to be President.

Sure, we’ve heard a lot of lips move, and websites pontificate. But evidence?? Hardly.

See, imho, the most telling fact in this whole debate is that Obama and his supported have spent literally millions to prevent any disclosure of his “paper trail”.

Why is that?

So, us, “proof-ers”, say we just don’t know.

Perhaps a small distinction, but we want Key West Lou to be “hip”.

LOL,
fjohn68

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Posted by reinkefj

ASUSNETBOOK: The saga continues; why I hate WINDOZE

Saturday, December 18, 2010

FROM A WINDOWS7 SUPPORT FORUM

>reinkefj; Hello and welcome to the forums.

thanks

>type ping 192.168.2.102 (that’s you)

times out (?)

>ping 192.168.2.1 (that’s your default gateway / inside edge of your router)

first ping works and the rest time out (?)

>ping 64.233.169.99 (that’s google’s ip)

time out

Additional facts:

(1) Thru up another wifi with some spare hardware to the same fios gateway. With a different wifi “name”, works fine.

(2) ASUS support says to “recover” (i.e., wipe the machine and start over). Seems like burning the bard to get rid of the mouse.

(3) Have a MACBOOKAIR that just came back from being fixed. It works fine on both wifis.

So I’m “working”, but befuddled?

Perhaps the “security fixes” that came down automagically from Microsoft, triggered a “Home Networking” setting, that then WINDOWS7STARTER could not fix.

I guess the smartest thing is to “burn the barn” and start over.

Luckily there’s NOTHING valuable on the machine.

Your thoughts?

And, thanks for the response. You beat the ASUS support person’s canned reply.

fjohn

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Posted by reinkefj

MONEY: Sorting out “real money”!

Saturday, December 18, 2010

http://woodpilereport.com/html/index-194.htm

*** begin quote ***

Oh, you do know that only dimes (originally dismes), quarters, halves and dollars (originally eagles) minted in 1964 or before are silver, don’t you? Those made in 1965 and after are not junk silver, they’re junk junk, they’re money only because “they” say they are and people have to pretend to believe them. They’re of no intrinsic value, or near enough, unless you need to shim a table leg.

Nickels dated 2010 and before are an alloy containing 25% nickel, currently valued at 6¢. They may be the small change of the future. Pennies dated 1982 and before contain 95% copper, they’re going for around 2.5¢ at present. Now for the dreaded minutia. Nickels (originally half-dismes, silver, then debased) made from 1942 through 1945 are 35% silver, currently fetching about a buck and a half. Eisenhower collector grade silver dollars are 40% silver, the ones made for circulation are worth about 25¢. 1965 through 1970 Kennedy half dollars are 40% silver. Naturally there is even more minute minutia, there always is, but none of this is going to mean much in a post-cataclysm world so it isn’t worth remembering unless you’re planning to go into the metal separation trade, post-doomsday.

*** end quote ***

Check your change for “real money”!

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Posted by reinkefj

POLITICAL: The START Treaty — just say no!

Friday, December 17, 2010

http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/stop-the-start-treaty-and-senatorial-pork/

*** begin quote ***

The treaty limits the US missile defenses and the preamble suggests that we would not engage in any new military technologies to thwart nuclear weapons! It also says we cannot convert any of our rockets into interceptors and it locks in about a ten thousand Russian edge in tactical nuclear warheads. It reduces strategic warheads — where there is now rough parity — but not tactical ones where Russia has a huge advantage.

*** end quote ***

Why would any American support such a treaty?

The Russians are not our friends, not peaceful, and not wealthy enough to compete. But they are chess players. And, if they can get us to forgo our advantage or ignore their strength, they win and we lose.

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http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/which-republicans-sold-out/

*** begin quote ***

So who sold out?

Thad Cochran, Mississippi

Bob Corker, Tennessee

Mike Crapo, Idaho

Tom Coburn, Oklahoma

Lamar Alexander, Tennessee

Johnny Isakson, Georgia

Let’s remember.

*** end quote ***

# # # # # posted 2010-12-22 17:42

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Posted by reinkefj

MACBOOKAIR: OSX10.6.3 UPGRADE wiped VZACCESSMANAGER

Friday, December 17, 2010

Last night’s upgrade to OSX 10.6.3 took about an hour, give or take. And, everything looks OK. Sort of.

(The only thing I noticed at the time was that (a) the application icon and huge NBD and that (b) IPHOTO is still broken. (Argh!)

But today, I noticed that VZAccess Manager v7.0.5 (2424j) for the Verizon Wireless USB720 is GONE!

Argh!

Another download!

Sigh!

But, now I wonder what else was nuked?

Sure “Quality is Job#1”!

# – # – #

Not without difficulty, VZACCESSMANAGER downloaded, installed, and a required reboot … (Why?) …

VZAccess Manager v7.0.5 (2424j) for your Verizon Wireless USB720

And, it’s different.

Argh!

Change control and version control and the vendors do what they want!

# # # # # posted 2010-12-17 09:07

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Posted by reinkefj

ASUSNETBOOK: Still broken

Friday, December 17, 2010

• Found a site that told me how to edit the “<space>2” out of the Home Network name. (You know, that thing you can’t create without a more expensive version of WINDOZE7!)

• ASUSNETBOOK connected just fine to the SPUHIL wireless guest wifi. (Argh! So it’s only the definition of my main home wifi network, that is screwed up.)

• NO reply to the post I left on http://windows7forums.com/windows-7-networking/

• NO reply on the ASUS support board http://vip.asus.com/eservice/techmailstatus.aspx?ID=WTM20101217034352241&SID=

Argh!

# # # # # posted 2010-12-17 08:20

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Posted by reinkefj

SERVICE: Google Bookmarks and Google Toolbar

Friday, December 17, 2010

In my new burst of “religion” … … I always “worshiped” at the “Church of Murphy” … as in “Murphy’s Law” … … (no disrespect intended; I let you know when I intend to be disrespectful. I usually “slouch”. That’s an inside joke with my fellow Prepsters.) … anyway, after the recent failure of my (NOTRECOMMENDED) Mac Book Air Version 1.1, I have been improving upon my paradigms, memes, as well as procedures and practices.

• Backing up bookmarks. Used to use XMARKS, but they went broke. Came back to life under LASTPASS, but the old free data was nuked. (Argh!) So, I pick GMARKS add in to FIREFOX3 which uses the GOOGLE_BOOKMARKS service, (no need to have too many moving parts and Google will always be my free friend. Won’t they?) But, I’m moving to CHROME from Firefox (It “swallowed the pig” too many times. Hogged memory. And THUNDERBIRD is on probation.) And I can figure out how to move my CHROME bookmarks into GOOGLE_BOOKMARKS. I’ve got the html export file but where’s the insert button. Help says to use the GOOGLE_TOOLBAR button. But that’s not on CHROME?

• GOOGLE_TOOLBAR is only for FIREFOX and INTERNETEXPLORER?

Ahh, such is life on the “bleeding edge”. Unfortunately, I did not think I was on that edge but six months back.

Argh!

# – # – #

Update: So being the smart fat old white guy injineer, I figured I’d just bring up FIREFOX, install the GOOGLE_TOOLBAR, and import the the file. Problem solved. And, I’d call it a “work around”. You know the joke about Omar the fat man’s tailor! “Just walk this way”. So, quick like a bunny, up goes FIREFOX, download the GOOGLE_TOOLBAR, install, restart. And SHAZAAM! No toolbar? Argh!

So I’m off to find another solution. Argh! I hate technology.

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Posted by reinkefj

MACBOOKAIR: Still trying to come back to where I was

Thursday, December 16, 2010

• IPHOTO still broken.

• Pages, Keynote, and Numbers still down; looking for the <synonym for procreation> disks.

• Migrated off APPLEMAIL onto THUNDERBIRD.

• Migrated off FIREFOX onto CHROME.

# # # # # posted 2010-12-16 23:39

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Posted by reinkefj

NEWJERSEY: Red light cameras

Thursday, December 16, 2010

http://nbs.gmnews.com/news/2010-12-16/Front_Page/SB_once_again_considering_redlight_cameras.html

S.B. once again considering red-light cameras
Route 1 intersections would be most likely locations
BY SAM SLAUGHTER Staff Writer

*** begin quote ***

Some streets in South Brunswick may soon be much safer. At the Dec. 7 Township Council meeting, council members discussed the implementation of a Red Light Running Automated Enforcement pilot program and are taking the necessary actions to move forward with the plan.

*** end quote ***

No fund raising here?

And, guaranteed to increase accidents. (Has elsewhere as folks stomp on the breaks!)

And, why not make the length of a “yellow” into standard time duration? (Answer, more tickets!)

And, why not make roads “intelligent”? (Sitting a light with no cross traffic encourages blowing; more tickets!)

And, why not focus on accident reduction? (No incentive; less tickets!)

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Posted by reinkefj

RANT: Why do we permit “lame ducks”?

Thursday, December 16, 2010

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/dc_feeding_frenzy_OmaWYPKGV2YtrTaFqHowYM#ixzz18IKpaIqj

DC feeding frenzy
Lame-duck Congress gorges
By DANIEL J. MITCHELL
Last Updated: 4:18 AM, December 16, 2010
Posted: 10:35 PM, December 15, 2010

*** begin quote ***

The biggest extender is the ethanol credit, a boondoggle that distorts agriculture markets and causes considerable economic and environmental damage, but is popular with politicians because big agribusinesses recycle some of their undeserved profits back to Washington in the form of contributions.

The dozens of other extenders include special loopholes for solar and wind power, education spending, bonds for Louisiana and NASCAR racing.

There are strong policy arguments against these kinds of special tax breaks, especially since we could use the revenue to finance lower tax rates — but most people are even more upset by the dead-of-night process used to put these goodies into the tax bill.

The behavior on Capitol Hill reminds me of the movie classic, “Animal House”: After their fraternity has been placed on “double-secret probation,” John Belushi and the rest of guys at the Delta House decide to go out in a blaze of glory with a toga party.

Likewise, the politicians on Capitol Hill just got placed on the equivalent of probation by a Tea Party uprising. Yet rather than mend their crooked ways, they’re throwing a massive party with our money.

*** end quote ***

Pitchfork and torches time!

Why do we permit “lame ducks”?

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PLATFORM: The netbook ASUS is bricked inet-wise!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Last night, some automatic security fixes applied themselves.

Suddenly WINDOZE7STARTER is forcing a “select a location for the ‘3TYNE7328215850 2’ network.

And, no internet connectivity.

Everything was work fine before.

WTF!

Notice the “space 2” on the end of the wireless lan name.

There’s no way to delete that “space 2” or to change it.

WINDOZE7STARTER says that it can’t create a ‘home network group’, but only join one.

This is one of the reasons I HATE WINDOZE.

Numerous system rollbacks to dates in the past can NOT fix this.

Argh!

# # # # # posted 2010-12-16 08:35

Windows IP Configuration

   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : ASUS

   Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :

   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid

   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Atheros AR8132 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller (NDIS 6.20)

   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 48-5B-39-81-5E-B9

   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter

   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 1C-4B-D6-FE-7D-60

   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes

   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::ed9d:a8ea:f652:9aad%11(Preferred)

   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.102(Preferred)

   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0

   Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, December 16, 2010 8:34:23 AM

   Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, December 23, 2010 8:53:12 AM

   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1

   DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1

   DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 236735446

   DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-14-89-6E-E8-1C-4B-D6-FE-7D-60

   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.2.1

   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.{1880D8E4-AD10-4D35-B33E-0DD04215ACB2}:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter

   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0

   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No

   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{FF68CFF4-C30B-4730-BA8E-D44D45CA4170}:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2

   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0

   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No

   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface

   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0

   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No

   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

# # # # #

Leave a Comment » | PLATFORMS | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

SECURITY: LASTPASS (Recommended with a big caveat)

Thursday, December 16, 2010

https://lastpass.com/

LastPass is a password manager that makes web browsing easier and more secure

# – # – #

Recommended, with a caveat.

I would never ever trust anyone with passwords to “financial” or “key email accounts”.

So, then by definition, passwords for “financial” services and their dedicated email accounts are NEVER shared with anyone, any service, or put on any machine. Written down in a secret spot. Not carried in a wallet or anything you’d expect.

(Handwritten and rolled up in a pen.)

Since there are very very few of these, they are easy to remember.

Yeah, under my tin foil hat, I’m paranoid!

And, you must use unique passwords for everything. It’s a pain, but necessary!

# # # # #

Leave a Comment » | ADMINISTRIVIA | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

TECHNOLOGY: Different strokes for different folks; passwords too

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/213392/gawker_media_hacked_warns_users_to_change_passwords.html

Dec 13, 2010 6:50 am

Gawker Media Hacked, Warns Users to Change Passwords

By Jeremy Kirk, IDG News

*** begin quote ***

E-mail addresses and password details for 200,000 registered users of Gawker Media websites are now circulating on peer-to-peer networks after a weekend hack attack. The company warned users to change their passwords — including on other sites, if they use the same passwords elsewhere.

*** end quote ***

Since I never use the same passwords for different sites, not my problem!

Clearly, most people don’t keep that discipline.

# # # # #

Leave a Comment » | Technology | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

WINDOZE: Cobbling together a solution

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

On the NETBOOK (Asus Eepc), I have DROPBOX to echo my data directory around where needed. After the fiasco with MACBOOKAIR and the deletion of significant protions of the data directory, I decided to make a local copy of the data directory on each platform. This protects against the data loss again.

On the WINDOZE systems to do this I dragged two free utilities out of retirement. ((I expected to abandon WINDOZE but the NETBOOK was needed and it brought WINDOZE with it. Argh!)

So on each platform, I’ve created an ‘OLDBOX’ folder to backup ‘DROPBOX’. The initial copy was easy.

BUT, how do you keep it updated on a regular basis?

http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptoad.asp#Download

http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp

KARENWARE has two FREE utilites that make this easy.

PTREPLICATOR allows you sync directories with all sorts of options. (If you leave it running.)

PTOAD is a once a day utility; it ensure that ‘stuff’ you defined gets run once per day. (If you leave it running.) So if you put it in the ‘STARTUP’ folder, it kicks off. If you reboot several times, it only runs once per day. Neat!

So problem solved that to some old friends.

######

Leave a Comment » | WINDOZE | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

FUN: Thinking about the “Price Is Right”

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Scenario: Four contestants, who we will call A, B, C, and D, have to guess the price of an item without going over.

Problem: What are the optimum strategies for each player?

<Think, think, … still thinking!>

Contestant A should just try to hit the price minus a dollar.

Contestant B ?

Contestant C?

Contestant D should always bids either one dollar if everyone’s over bid or one dollar over the highest bid.

Your thoughts?

# # # # #

Leave a Comment » | FUN | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

TECHNOLOGY: “Jeopardy!” pits man versus machine

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20101214/D9K3LU500.html

‘Jeopardy!’ to pit humans against IBM machine
Dec 14, 7:12 AM (ET)
By DAVID BAUDER

*** begin quote ***

NEW YORK (AP) – The game show “Jeopardy!” will pit man versus machine this winter in a competition that will show how successful scientists are in creating a computer that can mimic human intelligence.

Two of the venerable game show’s most successful champions – Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter – will play two games against “Watson,” a computer program developed by IBM’s artificial intelligence team. The matches will be spread over three days that will air Feb. 14-16, the game show said on Tuesday.

The competition is reminiscent of when IBM developed a chess-playing computer to compete against chess champion Garry Kasparov in 1997.

*** end quote ***

Now this will demonstrate something interesting to me. I doubt it will make great TV.

What’s next?

I know a robot playing Wheel of Fortune.

A pair of robot playing the Newlywed Game is just sick. Reminds me of the Will Smith movie “I, Robot”.

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Leave a Comment » | Technology | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

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